The Gold Coast SUNS have defeated the Southport Sharks by nine points at Metricon Stadium this afternoon.
In one of the matches of the year, the SUNS stunned the third placed Southport Sharks to push their case to play finals.
A match where capitalising on momentum was crucial, the SUNS struggled early on a wet afternoon.
It was the Sharks who ran out to an early two goal lead before back-to-back goals from Alex Sexton, brought the SUNS back into the match.
Southport regained control and kicked three in a row before Brayden Fiorini stemmed the flow before quarter-time to keep the margin to 15 points.
Fiorini was best on ground for the SUNS in what was one of the performances of the season.
He would finish with two goals, 32 disposals, 14 tackles and 17 clearances to lead from the front.
The SUNS started slowly in the second quarter allowing Southport to extend their lead before cranking the pressure up a notch.
The SUNS would kick the next four goals for the quarter and complete a 27-point turnaround to lead by six points at the main break.
Two goals to Josh Corbett along with majors to Matt Conroy and VFL leading goal kicker, Chris Burgess saw the SUNS arrest control of the match.
Corbett would end the contest with four goals while Burgess would collect three, as they wreaked havoc on the Southport defenders throughout the afternoon.
The third term began with Corbett’s third helping the SUNS to a 15-point lead before the Sharks mounted a swift comeback.
Southport kicked the five goals to take back the lead and momentum.
Two quick SUNS goals to Burgess and Sexton brought the margin back to within a kick at three quarter time.
Ned Moyle, the standout ruckman of the competition also had a day out with 43 hitouts and five clearances.
The final quarter was a seesawing contest where the SUNS got on top early through Fiorini’s second major.
A Southport goal pushed the margin to nine points before Jared Eckersley and Corbett kicked two straight to ice the game for the SUNS.
The SUNS will play their final home and away match against North Melbourne next Saturday at the Arden Street Oval at 10:30am.
Gold Coast SUNS 3.0 7.4 10.8 14.10 (94)
Southport Sharks 5.3 6.4 11.7 12.13 (85)
Goals: Corbett 4, Burgess 3, Sexton 3, Fiorini 2, Conroy, Eckersley
Best: Fiorini, Corbett, Moyle, Burgess, Tsitas
